


Mending

by tarradiddle



Category: DCU - Comicverse
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-30
Updated: 2012-10-30
Packaged: 2017-11-17 09:17:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/550003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tarradiddle/pseuds/tarradiddle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Written for comicdrabbles prompt: Sharp)</p>
<p>Alfred is sewing. Damian is curious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mending

“What are you doing?”  
  
Alfred looked up from the puddle of dark fabric. “I should think the answer would be obvious, young sir.” He smiled very slightly as he held up a threaded needle.  
  
Damian narrowed his eyes in obvious irritation. “I mean, _why_ are you doing it,” he spat out.  
  
“Well, perhaps I just don’t like the idea of Batman running about looking shabby in a costume full of holes.”  
  
Damian snorted at that. Alfred returned to the repair, making tiny stitches that drew the edges of the tear together. Damian drifted over to the table and began to look through a box with many compartments. Pins, scissors, thread, scraps of something, glues, tools Damian doesn’t know the use of, and rows of shining needles.  
  
“They’re different,” he said finally.  
  
“That’s right,” Alfred responded without looking up from his work. “Different tools for...hmmm... different jobs.”  
  
“For _sewing_?” The tone of his voice made it clear that sewing isn’t much of a job.  
  
“Of course. You need different needles for different fabrics, or to work at different angles.” Alfred looked up then and gestured at the case. “Take a look at the ones on the very end.”  
  
Damian did, pulling one out. “They have...edges.”  
  
“They are, in fact, edged, much like a tiny knife or spear. It’s for sewing through leather.”  
  
“Huh.”  
  
Another minute of quiet passed. Damian watched the tiny stitches go in, precise, careful work that took clear skill. Damian scratched at the bandage on his upper arm lightly. “Are you going to fix mine too?” Alfred shifted the edge of the pile of black on the table to reveal the brighter colors waiting their turn. Damian pulled out the Robin costume and ran his fingers along the rip in the sleeve. The blood had been cleaned off already, but there was still this jagged tear.  
  
Alfred cleared his throat. “If you want, I can show you how to fix it yourself.”  
  
Damian shrugged. Alfred tied off the thread he was working with and shifted to rummage in the box for scissors. “I must say,” he said more lightly, “it would put you one-up on most of the young men who’ve come through here. Can’t so much as fix a button.”  
  
Damian rolled his eyes at the obvious ploy, but still held the costume. Alfred snipped the thread, then shifted the fabric around to find another tear. “The first thing to know,” he went on as if Damian had spoken, “is that doing a repair like this isn’t hard, but it takes time and practice to get it right. Rush it, and the fabric will only tear again at the same place.”  
  
Damian looked down at his costume and fingered a subtle repair he hadn’t noticed before.  
  
“Repair it properly, with care,” Alfred held out a needle, already threaded, “and the fabric is stronger than before.”  
  
“Huh. How much stronger?” Damian took the needle and sat down.  
  
“This is sewing, not magic, Master Damian,” Alfred said.


End file.
